MI Walmart Stabbing Victim Sues Superstore

TRAVERSE CITY, MI — A man who was wounded in a mass stabbing at a Walmart store in northern Michigan earlier this year is suing the superstore.

Lawyers said Aaron Boudot was shopping with his wife and four children inside a Traverse City area Walmart on July 26 when he was attacked by Bradford Gille.

After stabbing eight other people, Gille stabbed Boudot multiple times as Boudot was protecting his wife and children, lawyers said.

Lawyers said Boudot was stabbed in his back and arm, severing an artery and nerves.

"I said my goodbyes to my family while bleeding out on the Walmart floor because I didn’t think I was going to make it," said Boudot. "Thanks to the kindness and extraordinary efforts of many people, I am still here today. My goal with this lawsuit is to hold Walmart accountable for my permanent injuries and the trauma my family endured, and to compel Walmart to make the changes necessary to prevent something like this from happening again."

Lawyers accuse Walmart of ignoring its own safety protocols, as shoppers saw Gille walking around the store for more than 30 minutes while carrying a large green duffel backpack and acting strangely.

Moreover, lawyers said some shoppers skipped part of their shopping just to avoid him.

During that time, lawyers said no Walmart employees asked Gille to leave or contacted the police.

They also noted other violent attacks that have happened at Walmart stores, including fatal shootings in 2017 in Thornton, Colorado; El Paso, Texas in 2019; and Chesapeake, Virginia in 2022. They seek at least $25,000 in compensation for the Boudots' injuries and damages.

"It’s not a coincidence that these horrifying attacks happened at a Walmart," said Morgan and Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney David Stechow. "The perpetrator picked Walmart because it’s an easy target. He was walking around the store suspiciously for more than half an hour, and Walmart did nothing. Stores like Walmart have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their customers, and we plan to uncover through the litigation process just how badly Walmart failed to do that."

Police said 11 people were stabbed in the mass attack. The victims, who are all expected to survive, range in age from 29 to 84 years old.

Gille, 42, was charged with one count of felony terrorism and 11 counts of assault with intent to murder. He was placed in jail with a $1 million bond. A judge ruled he is not currently competent for trial.

A motive for the attack was still unknown.